Video- Unusual Lava Fire Hose Described By USGS Volcano Scientist

A USGS volcanologist describes the unusually long lava fire hose that is occurring in Hawaii, and the dangers associated with approaching it.



Some pretty amazing footage of red hot molten lava in a stream flying off a collapsed lava cliff, and straight into the ocean. This causes continuing explosions as the lava flashes water to steam. You can see how if this were covered, happening underground, how explosive pressure could build up quickly when magma contacts water in a volcanic system.

a reply to: TrueAmerican

Lava that travels underground in lava tubes stays hotter than lava flowing in open air. It would maintain more fluid motion the hotter it is, so would pour out the end of the tube (at the oceans edge) as viscous as it poured from the volcanic vent initially.

Ever wonder why the basement of the twin towers stayed molten days after the twin towers fell?

The heat was contained.

Same principle is used to cook pig underground and make steel.

a reply to: TrueAmerican

Great video, whis this would happen in campi flegrei as well.
Essentially it is just a horizontal lava eruption isn't it.?

a reply to: TrueAmerican

That's some really cool footage there.

I was there on the big island years ago and I walked out on that lava field to get as close as I could to where the lava was entering the ocean. It was a spectacular sight then, but nothing like what I'm seeing in that video.

Thanks for posting. F & S

Imagine the energy that could be produced by such things...hook a turbine to that steam and you could probably power a town.

Actually it is not an eruption , it's a leak.

If the seafloor is deep enough... this could go on for ages.

Somebody should subtract 1 degree of human climate warming now ; )

Wow that makes all other Health and Safety hazards look tame in comparison.
23 acres collapsed into the sea on New Years Eve? Didn't get the memo or see anything on MSM.
At least someone is Volcano Watching, the VA topic on ATS has stalled in Dec 2016.
Thanks for posting TA

a reply to: TrueAmerican

That was totally awesome, thanks for sharing the video!

It's truly breathtaking and daunting.

originally posted by: MysterX
Imagine the energy that could be produced by such things...hook a turbine to that steam and you could probably power a town.

Thats where Iceland gets most of its energy, (I thimk?).

Problem with lava flows, they aren't 'stable' long enough to tap them, especially underground lava tubes. Just getting close enough to see them is dangerous as hell.

How lava tubes form

a reply to: TrueAmerican

The Daily Mail is reporting the temperature of that molten rock at less than 500 degrees Fahrenheit!

That was really cool to watch!

I had to turn the sound off, though... I couldn't stand how the guy spoke, haha.

a reply to: intrptr

Yeah can confirm. A lot of Iceland's electricity and basically all domestic hot water comes from geothermal plants. It's not done by tapping the energy from an active flow like the above, rather they sink pipes down through the crust in volcanic areas and heat the water using the higher crust temperature at depth.

The famous Blue Lagoon is just the outflow from one such plant. Better off finding a natural spring if you ever visit.

a reply to: Revolvacron

Test the water temp before you dive in. Parboiled humans

a reply to: intrptr

Yeah, happens from time to time

icelandmonitor.mbl.is...

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: Revolvacron

Test the water temp before you dive in. Parboiled humans

That happens at Yellowstone National Park occasionally.

originally posted by: Revolvacron
a reply to: intrptr

Yeah, happens from time to time

icelandmonitor.mbl.is...

What a dummy. Warning: dangerous area, do not enter!

originally posted by: AndyFromMichigan

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: Revolvacron

Test the water temp before you dive in. Parboiled humans

That happens at Yellowstone National Park occasionally.

We have hot springs and mud pits n Calif. I learned how dangerous they are as a tourist.

a reply to: muzzy

Lol @ your name

It's pretty hard to gauge the scale of the lava stream from that video, but there was some footage on TV news lane last night where a launch had come up close and you could judge the scale, this thing is massive!!!!
the width of a 6 lane highway!!!